My Pot Stickers

Pinterest is great. You get to cruise around and look at random stuff -- anything from crocheted Easter baskets to travel outfits.

Leave it to me to always head to recipes.

I started seeing recipes for vegetarian pot stickers. Only thing is they never seemed to have the ingredients I wanted. When I came across a recipe by the fabulous Mark Bittman of The New York Times, I knew I'd found my base recipe.

From his great beginnings came this recipe I use his method of cooking them, which is ridiculously smart, but the ingredients are mostly my idea (his were filled with pork).

My Vegetarian Pot Stickers

1/2 shredded carrot
1 c. shredded cabbage or bok choy (then mince it after you shred it -- think small enough to fit in a wonton wrapper)
1/4 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, also known as textured soy protein -- you could even use ground soy crumbles)
1/4 cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 Tbl. minced fresh ginger
1 Tbl soy sauce (more or less to taste)

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Wonton wrappers (I like mine smaller than the average pot sticker)
2 Tbls. peanut oil for frying

Optional: 1 egg, beaten (to help with sealing the wrappers -- otherwise, just use water to keep it vegan)

Combine all but the wrappers and frying oil in a large bowl. If it's a bit wet, add more TVP to soak up the juices.

On a dry surface (I use my Silpat for this), lay out your wonton wrappers, one or two at a time (keeps things neater and easier to manage). Using your finger, rub the egg around all edges of the wrapper.

Place a teaspoon of the mixture onto the center of your wrapper. fold over and pinch or press closed. (Mine resemble triangles -- you can close them however you like.)

Heat the peanut oil to medium-high. Once heated, add wrappers carefully. Keep in one layer. Cook 2 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned.

Here's where it gets interesting: add 1/4 cup of water per dozen wrappers right into the pan. Cover. Lower heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes.

Remove to paper towels on a plate.

Make a sauce. Here's what I used:

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbl. soy sauce
dash of sesame oil

Mix.

I'm a Won Ton Woman

It's true - I spent the better part of Sunday afternoon making yet another appetizer "test" for the upcoming Firebird Festival pre-party here at the house. This one's easier than it sounds. The reason it took me a few hours was because while mixing and wrapping, I was also fielding phone calls from my youngest, who was having fun finding a taxi to take her from hotel-to-campus. Long story. Boring, too. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, I've found a perfectly good won ton mixture that I think is a hit. You can add water chestnuts too, if you like. Whatever suits. I've made these for dinner before (and served them with bok choy and rice).

Won Ton and Peanut Dipping Sauce

1 bunch of asparagus
3 Tbs. fresh ginger
1 Tbs. fresh chives, cut up
1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed
4 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. (more or less) sesame oil
1 tsp. (more or less) rice vinegar

Make your dipping sauce first (recipe to follow).

In food processor, pulse ginger until it's minced. Put in bowl. Cut up asparagus and chives and add them and the edamame, soy sauce, oil and vinegar to processor, pulsing until chopped. Add to ginger. Mix in curry paste. Using won ton wrappers, put about a tsp. of mixture in the center of the wrapper. Moisten the edges and fold over to make a rectangle. Seal edges. To cook, place the won ton in a steamer basket and steam about 6 to 8 minutes tops. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/2 to 3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. red curry paste
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 Tbs. raw sugar (or brown sugar)
1 Tbs. lemon juice

Whisk milk and curry paste in saucepan. Add peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat over low-to-medium heat, stirring often. Cook for about 5 minutes until it's heated through.